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Most people have a good sense of what it takes to maintain their fitness and improves their physical well-being. But how about the financial fitness? – do you have goals?-  and are you seeking expert advice?

Research suggests that financial well-being and mental or physical health are connected. A survey conducted in 2015 in the US revealed that 70% of individuals have improved physical health while being in good financial position. The survey also found out that majority of the surveyed individuals were able to achieve their other goals easily when they were satisfied with their finances. 

Conversely, a poor financial health can have devastating impacts on one’s mental well-being. Some of the commonly related physical symptoms include:

• Stress and anxiety
• Lack of sleep
• Increased blood pressure
• Heart problems

Financial stress can also touch other aspects of our lives such as our attitudes, behaviours, and emotional strength and stability. Experts suggest that people often link their sense of worth to their financial wellbeing. 

Beyond the physical impacts, money worrying concerns may also trigger depression that does not only affect the individual but also affects family and loved ones, friends and colleagues at work. Therefore, as you plan your goals and objectives for your future, it is important to consider the importance of your financial health.

Here are a few steps you can take to make informed decisions with your finances!

• Formulate a budget plan

Make it easier for yourself to keep record of the inflows and outflows of your budget. You know how much you earn each day but you have no idea where the money goes. Avoid temptations of sneaky spending. Write down all your expenses and start recording.

• Save and avoid unnecessary spending-

Save an amount for any emergency or for a rainy day. Saving will result in mental satisfaction and relief. Make it a habit!

• Avoid bad debt and pay off the other debts

Avoid taking personal loans, credit cards etc. they are all forms of debts that are easily accessible but have hidden fees. Bad debts can have a heavy weight on your mind which results in stress. Try to pay them sooner than later!

• Make investments

A long term investment and putting money aside for something that increases in value result in peace of mind. Investments can provide greater growth and income in the long-term. 

• Ask a professional for help

Just like a fitness expert, an expert financial planner can help you plan your budget and achieve your financial objectives. Hey can help you keep the track of your finances and live stress free.

Remember, to get help and sort out your finances so that you can look after yourself!

An opposition is a formal and proper objection to a Trade Mark Registration. There are numerous reasons why a party will go against a trademark registration and oppose it. For instance they may: 

• think the mark is distinctively similar to their mark
• own a registered mark and another party is trying to eliminate their trademark 

Any interested entity can record a Notice of Intention to Oppose. Opposing a mark can be mind boggling and expensive. In the event that you are thinking about opposing the mark, you might need to look for help from an IP professional prior to filing an opposition.

It is your obligation as the owner of the mark to monitor your Trade Mark and make sure it is protected from potential infringements and utilize the court framework to make a move against the infringement.

Applications that can be opposed include:

• An application to Register Trade Mark that has been advertised as accepted.
• An application to Remove a Trade Mark from the register because it has not been used.
• An application for an Extension of Time of more than three months.
• An application for an Amendment to a Trade Mark application.

Some common reasons for opposition include:

• The Trade Mark is indistinguishable or basically the same as another mark which is either Registered, Pending Registration, or An International Mark seeking protection in Australia.
• Deception or confusion because of the reputation of another Trade Mark. 
• If the applicant is not the true owner of the Trade Mark.

 

To learn more about Trade Mark oppositions, or if you need help with an opposition, please email the Trademark Team at info@trademarker.net.au! Our Expert IP team will be more than happy to help!

Videos made at your convenience can be a hobby, but it can also be a money-making medium and in some cases making a living. In order to attract more viewers and engage them, you need to be consistent with the quality of your videos and contents. 

There are various ways YouTubers can earn money by posting content on their YouTube pages. Let’s take a deeper dig into how they earn through this medium.

• Content

While making a YouTube video, it is necessary to post content that are engaging, relatable and interesting to the viewers. It is recommended that you consider covering the content in following niches that are highly in demand:

• Gaming and sports
• News and celebrity gossips
• Life hacks and DIYs
• Food and Kitchen hacks
• Animal activities
• General knowledge and educational content

• YouTube Partner Program

If you are intending to monetise your videos and YouTube content, the first step is to join the YouTube Partner Program. It provides the owner an opportunity to receive payments via advertisements and views through their videos. 

There are certain conditions and eligibility criteria that needs to be met before joining this program. Such as, number subscribers and number of watch hours. Once approved, you are then eligible to receive money. There are two types of views that can help YouTubers make money:

• Cost per thousand views
• Cost per click

As you start to make money via the views and clicks, you will have to create an account through AdSense so you can get paid by the advertisers. However, you can only do a direct debit once your account reaches $100.  The first dollar you make may be hard and may take time, but as you attract more views and post interesting content, you should be able to continue making the dollars. 

The Youtube Partner Program has over 2 million users as of August 2021. Click here to read more!

• Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing is an arrangement between the YouTuber and an online retailer, where the YouTuber is paid the commission for product promotion and referrals. This can fall into the following forms:

• Unboxing video of the product
• Product recommendations
• Product Review

YouTubers are actually paid based on the number of clicks on the product link and the number of sales received after viewing the link including the commission on the product itself. 

 

• YouTube sponsorships

Sponsorships are when you have made it to the ultimate destination. It is an ideal option for companies when they want to invest where their sales received guaranteed increase in demand. YouTubers are paid by the brands in response to creating a specific video regarding their product, event, or anything the company has to offer. 

YouTubers are paid between $0- $50 per 1,000 views depending on the estimated number of views as a result of the promotion.  The YouTuber makes around $10,000 to $50,000, if the video hits a million views. No wonder sponsorship is what every YouTuber hopes for. 

 

• Patreon

Your subscribers may not only assist in increasing your page’s views and click, they may also subscribe to extras. Such as paying $5 for early access to videos, $15 for a one month excess to extras. Therefore, even if your page is too small for sponsorships and brands, your fans can become the patron of your YouTube. 

If you want to read further about who are the highest paid YouTubers are, click here! 

After you submit your Trademark Application, it will be inspected by IP Australia to decide if it fulfils and meets all the requirements of the Trade Marks Act 1995. If your trademark application does not meet the pre-requisites of the Act, IP Australia will send out an Adverse Examination Report. There may be various reasons for receiving an Adverse Examination Report, for example, entering an inaccurate details of the applicant, or error in description of classes. One of the most common reasons that trademark application do not pass the examination stage is because of its indistinguishable similarity with another mark. 

If you receive an Adverse Examination Report, you need to:

Read the examination report 

One important thing to keep in mind is that a trademark application is inspected by one of IP Australia’s trademark examiners and the report is discretionary and subjective. You may not concur with the content of the adverse examination report however it for the most part gives a very decent sign of why your trademark didn’t succeed through the assessment stage and what steps you need to take accordingly in order to be successful.

Use the Trademark

An adverse examination report doesn’t flag the stopping point for your trademark application, it just implies that there is an extra obstacle to hop over. Unless if your trademark infringes on an enlisted or registered trademark, you can and should keep on utilising that trademark. You ought to likewise be gathering proof about your utilisation of the mark so when the opportunity arrives to react to IP Australia, you can introduce proof that goodwill and value has been created in this trademark.

Seek Advice

Seek assistance from an IP professional. The IP expert will be able to clarify the contents of the adverse examination report, recommend a few strategies about what to do straightaway and help you with reacting to IP Australia when required.  

To speak to our Trademark Specialist, contact our team today!

Negotiating is a process between two or more people which involves both sides of the party to problem solve and reach a harmonious conclusion which satisfies both sides. It is a practice used in multiple settings; this article will highlight the top 5 tricks you need to become a better negotiator. 

 

1. Integrative Negotiating 

 

Integrative negotiating refers to a ‘mixed’ type of negotiating, in other words, the negotiator does not have a fixed mindset on results. An integrative negotiator will look at both sides and will consider both sides fairly when addressing the problem. The main objective of an integrative negotiator is to facilitate mutual gains by reframing the problem. 

 

2. Listing your priorities 

 

Having a list of your priorities and ranking them is an effective way to negotiate. Furthermore, explaining the importance of each priority gives the impression that you know exactly what result you are after which only makes you look greater in the view of the opposing party. Sharing the list of priories with the other side also helps builds trust between both sides. 

 

3. Come prepared with an alternative agreement 

 

It is not always guaranteed that you will achieve your desired agreement during a negotiation. Hence why it is crucial that you come prepared with a backup agreement or a ‘plan B’ to fall back on. The business term for this is BATNA, which stands for “best alternative to a negotiating agreement”. It is best for you to have a backup to ensure that you don’t come out of a negotiation without any gain. 

 

4. Recognise hardball tactics 

 

Hardball tactics are a way for the opposing side to set a competitive tone during their negotiation. It is a method used by negotiators to gain an advantage and upper hand over the other side. These methods may also come across as a way to intimidate the opposition. To ensure that you are well prepared to face these hardball tactics is by recognising when these tactics are being used. An example of a hardball tactic may be a “take it or leave it” approach which indicates that the opposition is not willing to a concession.

Another example of hard-balling is when the opposition plays “good cop, bad cop”, where two sides of the same party will take opposing sides to gain trust. This is a slightly more complex and psychological approach to negotiation. It is critical to recognise when this method is being appropriated, to protect you from making an agreement with little gain.

 

 

5. Make the first offer

 

Although intimidating when it’s your first negotiation, making the first offer can help you achieve your desired negotiation result. This is because the first offer is used as an anchor. When the first offer is stated, it is difficult to scrap and change the scope of the negotiation. Both parties immediately start working around and analysing the initial offer stated. It is also important to recognise when this is being done to you. When the opposing side makes a completely unreasonable first offer, do not fall into the trap of believing there is no way for you to put down a new offer.  

Do you have any special tricks that make you a good negotiator? Tell us in the comments below!

Did you know that Trademark infringements are becoming more common? If you are a business owner, monitoring your trademark is just as important as registering for one. 

Here’s what you should know about trademark monitoring.

So, you have registered your Trademark, now what? Well, it is essential that you keep on track and monitor your registered Trademark.

A fully registered trademark does not mean it is immune to a Trademark Infringement. Your Trademark is an essential intangible asset; therefore, it is crucial that you protect it.

Monitoring your trademark can result in many benefits for your business. Your trademark is how your customers perceive and recognise your business. It is a crucial step in your branding and ensuring your business has a unique presence. Not monitoring your trademark may lead to possible infringements and imitations from other entities, which can confuse your customers which puts your brand reputation at risk. Having a negative reputation is a major set-back for any business and can be very difficult to come back from. 

Furthermore, an infringement to your trademark can mean third parties are ‘stealing’ your company’s notability. Operating under the same or similar name, you are allowing third parties to take advantage of your popularity and image to enhance their economic gain. 

 

How do you monitor a registered trademark? 

There are many ways to monitor your trademark, firstly it is important to check if your registered trademark is updated. In Australia, a trademark registration lasts up to 10 years. Ensuring that your trademark is continually being renewed is the number one step of monitoring your trademark. Once that is out of the way here is a list of ways to track your trademark: 

• Use Search Engines 

Google is a great starting point to track down your trademark, it is a fantastic tool to find trademark infringements and find entities that may be operating under a similar name or even using similar words or images. Furthermore, setting up Google Alerts for possible infringements is time-effective strategy so you don’t need to spend hours on Google Search. 

• Australian Securities investment Commissions (ASIC)

ASIC works with business name renewals and registrations of business names within Australia. ASCI’s online database gives you the opportunity to search up businesses in Australia and additional information on them.

• Engage an IP Agent

IP Agents are professionals who have experience in Monitoring Trademarks, from Published Journal, ASIC, and various other resources. If you would like to Monitor your Trademark with Trademarker, visit out Trademark Watch Page.

 

Developing a business takes a lot of time and effort, it is crucial that you to responsibility of protecting your intellectual property from third parties to avoid any future issues that may rise.

To ensure that you are not putting your business at a risk, regularly monitor and track your registered trademark by following the simple steps provided. 

 

Want to find out the best way for a business to drive up profits while keeping low prices? Well, you are in the right place! In this list, we will go through the top 10 genius referral programs for marketing your business. According to recent studies, it has been proven that referrals and word of mouth are the most trustworthy type of marketing to increase sales.

So, here is a list of 10 programs you can incorporate into your business today:  

 

1. Refer a friend, get points

A simple yet effective way to get customers to draw their friends and families to your business. This is a method that American Express stands by! The way these works is customers will simply send a referral link to someone they know and gain credit points which can either get them sample products or can be used to get customers discounts on the good or service. 

2. Get your customers to do something charitable: 

Similar to the prior example, customers are to send a referral link to a friend but in return, they are contributing to a charity that the company works with. This is an extremely effective approach since it appeals to the emotions of consumers. Sometimes doing something for the less fortunate feels much better. Rodin offers something similar where they donate a certain amount to a charity when an employee refers a client! 

 

3. Get paid to refer 

Who doesn’t want some free money? Companies such as Pure Profile provide their customers with $20 every time they refer a friend. You are bound to get many referrals when customers are being paid for it. 

 

4. Product giveaways on social media 

Popular Australian skincare brand Alya Skin is often gaining popularity due to their social media giveaways. Giveaways require consumers to tag their friends in a post to be eligible. This is a great way to gain attraction in little time! 

 

5. Gift cards

Gift cards can go a long way when it comes to referral, consider well-known company Spotlight which provides their most loyal customers with generous gift cards. 

 

6. Offer money to put back into your business!

Did you know you can receive up to $10 when you refer a friend on Uber Eats? Providing customers with money is not only a great incentive for referrals but also promotes customers to continue shopping from you. 

 

7. Provide a taste of premium access 

Get users/customers to get a taste of premium for a limited when they refer a friend! This also promotes users to potentially purchase premium services for your business.

 

8. Offer educational webinars  

Depending on your business you can offer your customers and clients free educational webinars which your target market can share with their friends or others in a similar niche. This can also be applied to web articles and social media posts that your target market may find valuable. However, webinars are more likely to draw more attention. 

 

9. Giveaway raffles 

Raffle tickets will never be out of style! The Good Friday Appeal is regularly using raffle tickets to gain more popularity towards their cause. 

 

10. Give your friend money and receive it as well

Another clever referral marketing trick, provide customers who refer with a certain amount of money and offer the same amount to the friend who was re offered. This is great to encourage your customers’ friends to shop from you! 

Does your business have a Referral Program that works? Tell us in the comments below!

As Victoria faces its sixth lockdown since the Covid-19 pandemic, it has placed much pressure on small businesses across the state. A recent study done by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) shows that the state’s economic climate is suffering and is expected to remain that way for the foreseeable future. The study shows a drop of 22% in economic output in Melbourne and -15% in the rest of Victoria. The article further entails that 15% of Melbournians have lost jobs due to the pandemic and a further 9% of job losses in regional Victoria. Although the lockdowns are necessary for contact tracing and tracking to contain the virus, it is difficult to ignore the damage that they are doing to businesses across the state especially small businesses with little resources. 

 

One of the many challenges that small businesses face is the lack of support. Small business owner Matt Raidal shares in an ABC article that the little timing that the Victorian government provided when announcing the lockdown did not give enough time for small businesses especially hospitaility venues to evaluate and organise. This left many Victorian owners and workers frustrated, with no hope. With the uncertainty of where the next pay check will be coming from. Moreover, the last three lockdowns not providing any financial support to small businesses have left owners unmotivated, physically, and mentally exhausted. The little financial support has left regional Victoria businesses “crippled” during these tough restrictions (ABC News, 2021).

Small businesses have gone through the last three lockdowns with no income support and owners are unsure whether they can afford to continue their businesses even once the lockdown gets lifted. 

Regrettably, many small business owners are looking to make the unfortunate decision to lay off staff as they give up on predicting when the situation in Victoria will get any better. Businesses are struggling to afford to keep staff on with no JobKeeper payment, leaving workers with the stress of looking for a job during the lockdown.

Another tough decision hospitality businesses especially have been facing is destroying inventory. With no people to sell to and the abrupt lockdown rules, hospitality venues have had to discard perfectly well goods. Furthermore, the loss of celebrations such as weddings, Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day and Australian Open means a lot of venues have missed out on their busiest days. 

In more office-based small businesses, managers are also facing challenges. Workers are seeing a drop in productivity (The Harvard Business Review, 2021) due to the work-from-home situation. Although working from home serves many benefits, such as no travel costs and the comfort of working in one’s own home some, workers still find it difficult to find the motivation to work. Managers are reporting that it has become extremely tough to manage and regulate teams. 

The state’s economy is increasingly struggling due to lockdowns putting a lot of pressure on small businesses. The unpredictability of the virus has left both workers and business owners concerned about where their next income will be coming from. Additionally, working from home is likely to become a social norm even potentially even after lockdowns are over.

For more information on adjusting to hybrid working, read our article: How to Support you Employees with remote working.

With the extension of Lockdown in Victoria, businesses are taking extra measures to make sure that their employees are being well looked after when working from home. It is assumed that employers would continue to allow employees work remotely even after COVID vaccinations are widely available. However, few had much experience of remote working when the pandemic started and many organizations had first experienced remote work on a larger scale. 

Remote work has created challenges for both employers and employees as it can be tough to ensure employees are engaged and thriving. The transition to remote working also removes the personal context of interaction between the staff. Here are few tips that can help managers support employees while working remotely.

Set expectations early and clearly

• Provide guidelines, set deadlines and review the work often. 
• Provide clarity about milestones, performances and more.
• Be accessible to employees as there will be questions. 
• Keep staff updated of policies, staff changes, company successes and more.

Be organized yet flexible

• Allow flexible hours to maintain consistency.
• Have a concrete plan but be open to the strategies being adjusted as needed. 
• Do not worry whether you employees choose to put their hours in the morning or evening as long as the work is being done. 

Track the success 

• Have them give you a work plan outlining the tasks they are expected to complete within a given time. It will reduce your fear and also help them structure their work. 

Communicate regularly

• It is crucial to keep communication alive with the staff. It keeps workers updated with the deadlines, work related challenges, and your expectations. 
• Determine what communication tool to use and what frequency to keep for the communication. 

Be a listener

• Successful employers are good listeners. Inquire about the workload, offer help and additional support.  Avoid micromanagement!
• Build connections and be available to all team members. Avoid making some employees feel isolated.

A company constitution sets out the rules that govern the relationships surrounding a company from the director to the stakeholder. While it is a document that is not legally required, it assists in governing and shaping the internal management of a company. Companies usually turn to adopting a constitution when they register their business. However, a company with no constitution will apply the ‘replaceable rules’ by the Corporations Act 2001.  

A company constitution will typically include the following details: 

• Structure of the Company 
• Administration and organization of meetings 
• Voting procedures 
• Execution of documents  
• Dividends 
• Rights of shareholders, issue and transfer of shares 

While the ‘replaceable rules’ can be modified and altered based on the company’s requirements and policies, there are some rules mandatory for companies that cannot be altered.  These rules do not apply to a sole director company, or a single shareholder.  

Here are some of the benefits of having a company constitution: 

• Formulating a company constitution will be a cost effective solution for your business and will avoid relying on ‘replaceable rules’ that automatically apply to your company with no constitution. 
• ‘Replaceable rules’ are basic rules that fits with all companies. Whereas, adopting a constitution will cover everything that your company needs.  
• A constitution works as an agreement that can be tailored and modified based on the needs of your company. While you cannot change certain guidelines of ‘replaceable rules’.  

If you wish to create your company’s constitution, you can do this by using ‘replaceable rules’ or seeking advice of a business consultant or company lawyer. It is crucial to ensure that your constitution is effectively governing your company and assisting in the operation of your business.